Obamacare breaks even in poll, remains divisive

President Obama has appeared on comedy shows and taken to new media in an effort to push health care signups before this year’s March 31st enrollment deadline. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Support for the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare,” has taken a spike upward on the enrollment deadline for new health care plans, and breaks even in a poll for the first time since the fall of 2009.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 49 percent of Americans support the health care reform program, while 48 percent are opposed.

It’s hardly a landslide. Still, an ABC/Post survey taken last November — after the disastrous rollout of the federal government’s health car website — pegged support at just 40 percent with 57 percent opposed to the new law.

Individual provisions of Obamacare, such as letting young adults stay on parents’ health plans, have always enjoyed widespread support. The broader law, passed by Congress in 2010 with no Republican support, has never been popular.

The gremlins aren’t gone from the health care website: It shut down twice Monday as the enrollment deadline for this year approached. But more than 6 million Americans have enrolled in new health plans, and the figure may approach the original Congressional Budget Office prediction of 7 million.

The increase of support is among President Obama’s fellow Democrats.

Such Tea Party Republicans as Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, have been the most unyielding and adamant opponents of the Affordable Care Act.

Backing from Independent voters has declined a tiny bit, from 46 percent to 44 percent — with 54 percent opposing the overall law. Just 20 percent of Republicans support Obamacare, with a whopping 78 percent opposed.

The 49-48 percent breakdown has mirrored many ABC News/Washington Post polls on President Obama’s overall job performance. The 44th president is a polarizing politician.

In the latest survey, 44 percent of those polled across the country voiced approval for how Obama has handled implementation of the health care law, up from just 33 percent in November.

The ABC/Post poll was conducted March 26-30. It involved interviews with 1,017 adult Americans and has a margin of error of plus/minus 3.5 percent.